Justin McCareins is one of the most mellow, mild-mannered players in the Jets’ locker room.

Yet on Sunday evening, moments after the Jets’ 31-26 loss to the Chargers during which he was unable to haul in a fade pass on Gang Green’s final offensive chance, the wide receiver was so angry he was spitting his words out with blood.

“I’ve got to make a play, man,” McCareins said after the game, his teeth clenched. “That’s what I’m supposed to do; it’s what they’re [bleeping] paying me to do. I let my team down.”

Yesterday, four days removed from that game, McCareins was still carrying a sizable chip on his shoulder, sounding like a player who wanted to get back onto the field as soon as possible to make up for his previous sins.

In Sunday’s loss, McCareins had an early drop on the first series.

Later, he had a chance to catch a Brooks Bollinger 30-yard pass in the end zone that would have given the Jets the lead with less than three minutes remaining, but he didn’t see the ball over his shoulder until the last second and it slipped through his fingers.

Finally, on the Jets’ last gasp from the Chargers’ 3-yard line with 53 seconds remaining, McCareins never got his hands on a Bollinger fade pass in the end zone, later chastising himself for not being more aggressive in going after the ball.

For the season, McCareins is 44th in the AFC in receptions with 20 (of 57 thrown to him) and has no TDs. He has six drops.

A year ago, in his first season with the Jets, McCareins caught 56 of the 89 passes thrown to him for 770 yards (a 13.8-yard average) and scored four TDs. He had two drops in all of 2004.

When asked yesterday what his personal assessment of his performance this season is, McCareins didn’t hesitate or candy-coat his answer.

“Inconsistent . . . just inconsistent,” he said. “I’m pressing, trying too hard. I just need to get a rhythm. I don’t know what that’s going to take, but I’ve been inconsistent in my eyes and I know I can do better. I will do better.

“This stuff is important to me, man,” McCareins went on. “Football has been a big part of my life for a long time and I like to win.

“I’m not tense; I’m just hungry. I’ve never been 2-6 before. I just want to do well, man. You have a picture in your mind all summer about how it’s going to go, and it’s not working out. We’ve got to figure out what the problem is and try to fix it. I may be a little tense, but it’s better than being lackadaisical about things in my book.”

The addition of Laveranues Coles in the offseason figured to help McCareins, but it hasn’t worked out that way. Obviously, the Jets’ unstable quarterback situation has had a negative effect on the entire offense, which has been anemic.

“I don’t like to make excuses,” McCareins said. “To me, when I have a chance to make a big play I pride myself on being the guy who’s reliable to his teammates to make a play. And to me, not to make that play is unacceptable. I’ll just work harder and make the play next time.”

“He’s been hurt, playing injured,” the Jets coach said. “When you play injured, you don’t practice at the same tempo and it’s very difficult to bring that to the field. He’s had the Achilles, hamstring, back, a bunch of different things.

“But he still finds a way to line up and play,” Edwards went on. “He’s a good player who’s going to make more big plays for us.”